Purple thistles, California poppies, clover, and dandelions have all taken root in the roughly 10-inch-deep, lightweight humus and grape-husk soil in this 580-square-foot green roof. Designer Peter Liang says that he "wanted to plant a green roof for its thermal mass, but I wanted it to be as natural as possible."

Suzanne and Brooks Kelley at the back of their 1,100-square-foot guest cottage.

The owners toured this home, which surrounds a mature tipu tipu tree, while visiting relatives for the day. The brick is original to the 1947 construction.

Sliding doors by Quantum were made to look like the original panes that couldn't be saved, and they lead to a fire pit outside.

At the top of the stairwell, a sitting area is outfitted with a vintage Eames lounge, a large Jack Goldstein painting, and a 1970s light fixture found by Marcovitz in Paris.

The view!

The kitchen features a concrete island topped with marble. Deja-Vu stools by Naoto Fukasawa surround the island. A print by Guy Gormley, as well as a painting bought during holiday in St. Tropez, hang on the walls.

Take a look at some of the most exciting, sustainable buildings around the world, and you may notice something they have in common: green roofs, or rooftops covered with a thin layer of soil to allow for grasses and other low-lying plants to grow.

New Depths Inspired by a local winery, George Kyprianou wanted a glass top on his subterranean wine cellar. The interior is lit, casting soft light into the living space at night and revealing the 132-year-old stone foundation. The three-quarter-inch glass lid sits flush with the floorboards; it opens with an ingenious device that Kyprianou devised using a 12-volt air compressor and a remote-controlled switch. When you push the button, the glass lifts just enough to be removed by hand.

Light Box Peter created a simple uplight at the top of the wood box by wiring together energy-efficient fluorescent fixtures typically used under cabinets and countertops. “The cheaper magnetic models hum unacceptably loudly, so make sure you get the electronic ballast types,” he warns. He then painted the cavity white to reflect light and covered them with quarter-inch-thick acrylic from TAP Plastics. homedepot.com tapplastics.com

The view of Kapiti Island is fully revealed from the tower.

The top container contains Wardell's office—and a "napping nook" above that.

In the dining area, a one-of-a-kind table with a reclaimed Carrara marble top by NET—themultidisciplinary design firm of architect Alejandro Sticotti, with whom Nicolas works—is surrounded by prototypes of the company’s Board chair. The family dog, China, sits on a floor made of travertine tiles.

The architects added a small circular skylight to serve as a vertical focal point in the center of the fifth floor. The quarter-sawn white oak risers produce a beautiful rippled grain highlighted by the abundant natural light.

The Kelleys furnished the cottage with help from Suzanne’s daughter Betsy Burbank of Betsy Burbank Interiors. Classic modernist icons, such as a Saarinen Womb chair for Knoll, a Herman Miller Eames lounge chair, and an Eileen Grey E1027 side table look at home alongside present-day pieces such as an Encore sofa (which handily folds down into a sleeping surface) from Room & Board and a Doka rug designed and produced by Stephanie Odegard. The Wohlert pendant lights from Louis Poulsen were designed by Vilhelm Wohlert in 1959, but grouped as such, they appear distinctly contemporary.

● BC Woodworking custom-designed solid cherry flat front cabinet faces - NEW ● Cabinetry reconfigured with soft close doors - NEW ● Includes drawers for dishes and utensils ○ Regular and recycling trash cans drawer ○ Dish towel rack ● Glass handles and pulls special ordered from Bulgaria - NEW ● Birdseye maple fronts with cherry insets on high cabinets with pocket doors and roll out shelves for appliance storage ● Natural maple bar tops with cherry trim ● Blue Australe granite countertops (grade Y) - NEW ● Custom backspace oceanside multi-color glass tile - NEW ● Miele 5 burner gas stove top with glass base, wok burner, simmer burner - NEW ● Miele 1000 cfm downdraft ventilation system - NEW ● 2 Thermador 27” wall ovens (side by side) - NEW ● Miele G 6596 SCVi K20 AM dishwasher (knock to open, LED lights) (raised, hidden by cherry panel) - NEW ● 2 Sub-Zero refrigerator drawers - NEW ● Kallista 45” sink with cutting board, strainer, and silver rack - NEW ● Kallista mirror-finish Bacifiore entertainment sink - NEW ● Delta touch-free faucet in main sink with integrated sprayer - NEW ● Niche Modern Pod pendant lights - NEW ● Tech pin lights on beams - NEW ● Haiku lights ● Haiku SenseMe ceiling fans (polished aluminum may not stay, but will be replaced) - NEW ● Sun Valley Forge hardware on back door - back door is NEW

The yellow North Face tent looms over the top of the main building.

Yvette, Adrian, and their son Julian survey the view from the top-floor terrace. “I’ve never been fond of modernism—I find it cold,” Adrian admits. “But having this house, I have to say, it’s growing on me.”

Still, it’s possible to remove or relocate non-structural walls in a home with good bones.

The master bedroom occupies a private space on the top floor.

A Nelson jewelry cabinet and Massimo Vignelli lamp.

The Piranesian view upwards through the central stair to the top floor skylight.

Integral glass counter and sink top

●7.07 acres with rear views overlooking South Elkhorn Creek; lot extends over the back side of the creek (largest lot in subdivision) ●Heavily treed lot, including numerous ash, walnut, tulip poplar, peach, plum, redbud, dogwood, koosa dogwood, hickory, shaggy bark hickory, paw-paw, persimmon, various varieties of pine, varieties of maple, including Japanese maple, ginko, weeping cherry Upgraded all mechanicals: ○ Installed ultra-efficient Lennox HVAC system with individual room zones that can be controlled remotely by smart phone, computer or tablet (IComfort S3 smart thermostats) ■ Note: Lennox system used for A/C only though could be used for heat, also as it utilized heat pump ○ Installed gas boiler for radiant floor heat on both levels of house that can be controlled remotely by smart phone, computer or tablet via Tekmar thermostats; zoned by individual rooms/areas ■ Note: winter heat is accomplished with a Pex tubing/hot water radiant floor heating system; no forced air, gentle heat, warm floors ○ Ran gas lines run for future generator, into kitchen for stove and to patio for grill ● Installed LED light bulbs throughout the house, ● Installed Haiku lights in most of the rooms which can operate via motion sensor, remote, or app; also can control temperature (brightness) and color (yellow/white) and can set timers for each light or room of lights ● Added Control 4 whole house automation system with new security, lighting, audio visual systems; allows smart device control of security system, cameras, TV, audio, lights ● Total gut re-do of master bath, powder room, pantry ● Replaced all kitchen appliances, countertops, cabinet faces, cabinet pulls, ventilation system ● Repainted exterior and interior; added accent wall in living room ● Refinished bamboo/cherry floors ● Touched up all woodwork ● Added built-in file drawers, pull-out storage drawers, and cabinet doors creating enclosed wall unit in study ● Replaced toilet and shower fixture in 2nd bathroom ● Added sink in garage ● Added split HVAC unit in under-patio storage room in basement ● Replaced roof and in process of replacing gutters

Can't find the right table for your space? Another option is to have a custom top cut for a recycled base, which is what the Deams did for their outdoor dining area. They had an existing Scissor table base by Bay Area designer John Randolph sitting unused, so Chris had a piece of hardy soapstone (it stands up to high temperatures) cut to match by Fox Marble. A subtle facet at each corner plays off the base's design and lends a more intimate feel to the long table. For a fraction of the cost of a full piece, the bases of design classics are often available on Craigslist and eBay.

Like the built-in bed, nightstands, headboard, and other custom furniture, the staircase leading to the open-air viewing platform was made by Versfeld. The Lektor desk lamps are by Rubn.

The bedroom and bathroom make up the private zones on the top floor.

Bold, red-colored shipping containers were used to create a (12 meter long) visitor area extension for the National Theatres Company of Korea. Designed as a social zone for theatregoers, the space was equipped with internal sliding partition walls that can be opened or closed to allow for flexible use of the interior spaces.

With an angled roof designed to resemble the surrounding cliffs, a house in Maui, Hawaii, is built to meld with the landscape.

A trap-door opening at the top of the house allows for better circulation.

Contemporary materials like zinc and glass contrast with a cast iron facade and slate roofs.

Unlike other French presses, whose coffee cools quickly, the wool cozie on the Portland Press ensures another layer of insulation, and a better chance that cup number two from your pot won't be lukewarm.

Hand thrown on a potter's wheel, this toasty clay colored jar by Paula Lopez-Otero sports a shiny turquoise glaze inside and is topped with a large cork piece.